North korea south korea border

In his first press conference in the new year, Moon also said his country has no plans to ease sanctions on the communist state against the will of the international community."Now the dialogue with North Korea has begun, but because the North Korean nuclear issue has not been resolved, South Korea will continue to keep pace with the pressure and sanctions by the international community. We have no plans to ease our unilateral sanctions against North Korea that are in place in addition to international sanctions for now," he told the press conference.The remarks came one day after the divided Koreas resumed their cross-border dialogue to discuss the North's participation in the Winter Olympic Games to be held in the South Korean city of PyeongChang from Feb. 9-25. … [Read more...] about President reaffirms resolve to denuclearize N. Korea

North Korea could send a delegation to the South for the 2018 Winter Olympics, in the first indication Pyongyang may participate in next month's Games despite tensions over its nuclear weapons program. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said in his new year's address Monday: "We are willing to take necessary measures including to dispatch our delegation" to the Pyeongchang Games which Seoul and organizers have billed as a "peace Olympics". The Winter Olympics will take place from February 9 to 25, with the Paralympics scheduled to begin on March 9. Games organizers and Seoul have both been keen for the North to take part, but Pyongyang's participation in sporting events in the South has largely depended on the political and military situation on the Korean peninsula. The venues for the Games lie just 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the tense border with the North and the build-up to the event has been overshadowed by tensions running high over the North's escalating nuclear and missile … [Read more...] about N. Korea could send delegation to South for Winter Olympics: Kim

A North Korean soldier involved in an extremely rare and dramatic defection to the South was shot six times by his own side as he drove to the heavily guarded border and ran across under a hail of bullets. The US-led United Nations Command (UNC), which monitors the Panmunjom border truce village where the defection occurred Monday, said the soldier had driven close to the heavily-guarded, military demarcation line separating the two Koreas. "He then exited the vehicle and continued fleeing south across the line as he was fired upon by other soldiers from North Korea," the UNC said in a statement. An official with the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North's border guards fired at least 40 rounds. A doctor treating the soldier -- who was helicoptered to a hospital for emergency surgery -- said he had been shot half-a-dozen times and sustained a serious stomach injury. "He has at least six gunshot wounds on his body and the penetrating wound in the abdomen is the most … [Read more...] about North Korea soldier shot six times as he defected to South

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that proved its ability to strike America's mainland, drawing a sharp warning from U.S. President Donald Trump and a rebuke from China. However, later on Saturday Trump wrote on Twitter that he was "very disappointed" in China and that Beijing had done "nothing" for the United States in regards to North Korea, something he would not allow to continue. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised the midnight launch of the missile on Friday night and said it was a "stern warning" for the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tries to attack, the North's official KCNA news agency said. North Korea's state television broadcast pictures of the launch, showing the missile lifting off in a fiery blast in darkness and Kim cheering with military aides. "The test-fire reconfirmed the reliability of the ICBM system, demonstrated the capability of … [Read more...] about N.Korea claims all of U.S. in strike range as Trump says China has done ‘nothing’

The problem is, the destination was North Korea and a U.S. State Department ban on travel to the isolated country takes effect on Friday. Burkhead, a 35-year-old resident of Virginia, was among the last American tourists to leave North Korea, landing on Thursday at Beijing Capital International Airport. "I was surprised at how friendly everyone was," Burkhead said after stepping off the last scheduled flight to Beijing from the North Korean capital Pyongyang before the U.S. travel ban kicks in. "It was very relaxing - beautiful scenery and they fed us very well in the restaurants there, but the exchange rate wasn't too good for the local won," he told a waiting scrum of journalists. Burkhead arrived in Beijing on North Korea's state-owned Air Koryo after visiting Pyongyang as well as the city of Kaesong near the heavily armed border with South Korea. His five day tour cost 1,850 euros ($2,200). Other Americans on the flight included two aid workers as well as Jamie Banfill, 32, who had … [Read more...] about As US ban on travel to North Korea kicks in, tourist says he would return

North Korea's military chief of staff Ri Yong-Ho is seen in Pyongyang in April 2012.Ri Yong-Ho is regarded as one of the key figures who has helped support the young, untested leader in the transition following the death in December of his father Kim Jong-Il, the longtime dictator of the reclusive state.Ri, 69, who became head of the army in 2009 with the official title Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, has often been seen accompanying Jong-Un on visits to military bases in recent months.The North's official KCNA news agency said a meeting of top officials from the ruling party on Sunday took the decision to relieve him of his posts."A meeting of the political bureau of the central committee of the workers' party decided to relieve Ri Yong-ho of all his posts for his illness," it said.He was removed from the "presidium of the politburo", the country's most powerful body, which only has a handful of members, the agency said.And he will no longer serve as … [Read more...] about N. Korea army chief removed from all posts

South Korea on Monday dismissed an "incomprehensible" list of North Korean demands for reviving suspended operations at a jointly-run industrial park.The Kaesong Industrial Complex, opened north of the border in 2004 as a rare symbol of cooperation, has been shut indefinitely with the withdrawal of all North and South Korean workers amid soaring military tensions.On Sunday, the North's National Defense Commission led by leader Kim Jong-Un said re-starting the complex would require the South to cease all "hostile acts and military provocations."It cited preparations for a joint South Korea-US military drill scheduled for August, as well as activists and defectors who use balloons to send anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border."The North's demand, as you probably know, is completely incomprehensible and unfair," said Kim Hyung-Seok, spokesman for Seoul's Unification Ministry which handles inter-Korean affairs."We urge the North again... to come forward for dialogue instead of making … [Read more...] about South Korea rejects ‘incomprehensible’ North demands

South Korea called Monday for the North to stopits "provocative" rocket tests, after the launch of dozens of rocketsin recent weeks -- most recently Sunday -- that Seoul says threatenregional security.North Korea test-fired 25 rockets off its eastcoast into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) on Sunday -- the latest in aseries of launches that have sparked criticism from Seoul andWashington. A spate of missile and rocket tests carried out byPyongyang between late February and early March were largely seen as acalculated show of force to express its anger at the South's ongoingjoint military exercise with the US. "The North should stopactions that cause military tension and unnerve its neighbours," Seoul'sdefence ministry spokesman told reporters, adding that "provocativeaction made without any prior notifications... can pose significantdanger to sea vessels and aircraft passing by the area." TheSouth's military was closely watching the North's troop movements, saidthe spokesman, adding … [Read more...] about S. Korea urges North to stop ‘provocative’ rocket tests

North Korea has hailed Kim Jong-Il's young son as a "great successor" at the helm of the isolated country after the death of the leader. Kim Jong-Un besides his father. Photo by AP On state television Monday, a tearful announcer delivered the news of Kim's demise at 69 from a heart attack, and the station aired footage of hysterical North Koreans, young and old alike, pounding the ground in displays of abject grief. Pyongyang urged service personnel and citizens to rally behind Kim's youngest son Jong-Un, who is in his late 20s. Last year, he was made a four-star general and given top ruling party posts despite having had no public profile. It is the nuclear-armed pariah nation's second dynastic succession, and analysts said there would probably be little turbulence -- at least for now -- in the North, whose unpredictable behaviour has long destabilised the region. "All party members, military … [Read more...] about North Korea backs son after Kim Jong-Il death

South Korea staged a live-fire exercise Monday on a flashpoint island near the disputed border, but North Korea said it would not hit back despite having vowed deadly retaliation. In this Feb. 2010 picture shows South Korea\'s K-9 self-propelled gun howitzers fire during their military exercise in Yanggu, north of Seoul, South Korea. South Korea fired artillery in a 90-minute drill from a front-line island Monday, Dec. 20, 2010, and launched fighter jets to deter attacks after North Korea warned of catastrophic retaliation for the maneuvers. Pyongyang\'s announcement eased fears of war on the peninsula, where tensions have been acute since a deadly bombardment by North Korea last month following a similar artillery drill by South Korean forces. … [Read more...] about N.Korea ‘won’t hit back’ at S.Korea live-fire drill